Panasonic, Samsung, Sony  and Xpand today announced their intent to collaborate on the development of a new standard for active 3D glasses, under the name, “Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative.”

Universal active 3D glasses
Wow, finally... Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and the 3D glasses manufacturer Xpand has agreed upon a standard for 3D glasses, meaning that you can use one brand’s 3D glasses on other brand’s 3D TVs.

The four companies will develop a standard for radio frequency (RF) protocols that will work with all future active 3D TVs from the manufacturers. The standardization will also include multiple types of infrared (IR) system, which are widely used today.


Samsung’s current 3D glasses

The initiative is targeted to be released in September 2011 and will be one of the topics at IFA 2011 in Berlin. Universal glasses with the new IR/RF protocols will be made available in 2012, and are targeted to be backward compatible with 2011 3D active TVs. 

Samsung is currently using Bluetooth technology on their 2011 TVs. The Bluetooth SIG supports the industry’s move to standardize on Bluetooth technology in 3D glasses. 

- “These market leaders are coming together to make the 3D experience better for the consumer. It makes perfect sense that Bluetooth technology would be a vital component of that solution, both for its mass market ubiquity and the freedom and convenience it provides," said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director, Bluetooth SIG.

I guess we will learn more at IFA 2011 in Berlin this September.